It is officially autumn, and what screams autumn more than healthy, delicious, fall flavors like pumpkin, cranberry, and walnuts? These pancakes -or as I like to call them, "pumpcakes"- will pump you up with the energy you need throughout your day!

This recipe is rich in Vitamin A, low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium, and can also be easily made Gluten-Free- see footnote below.

Ingredients: (Makes about 8 pancakes)

1.5 cups skim milk

1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

2 cups all purpose flour*

1/2 cup dried cranberries

2 egg whites

2 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp apple cider vinaigrette

2 Tbsp of cinnamon

1 Tbsp pumpkin pie seasoning**

1 Tbsp Agave nectar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Olive oil cooking spray

*To make Gluten-Free, I used Redmill's Gluten Free All Purpose Flour**If you don't have pumpkin pie seasoning, just combine the following spices together: allspice, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon

Combine all dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl. Then make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and slowly pour all of the wet ingredients in the center. Whisk all ingredients together until batter is smooth and creamy.

Spray small frying pan with olive oil cooking spray and set it to Medium Heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan, and let it cook for about 2 minutes. When the edges of the pancake start to brown, flip pancake and repeat for about 2 more minutes. Continue with the remaining batter.

When the pancakes are finished, you can enjoy them plain, or add 1 Tbsp of Agave Nectar with 2 Tbsp of walnut pieces to enjoy a healthy, delicious alternative to syrup/butter. Walnuts are rich in omega 3's which reduce inflammation in the body and protect the body against cardiovascular diseases.

I had the wonderful opportunity yesterday to stand with my company, Team Sodexo, at the annual We had a wonderful time cheering on the cyclists, who have raised thousands of dollars in the fight for a cure for diabetes! (See picture below- I am the third person in from the right)

Currently, 29.1 million people (almost 10% of the US) have diabetes, according to the Center of Disease Control. Diabetes is a disease that attacks the pancreas, inhibiting the management of normal blood glucose levels in the body. Diabetics face several risk factors if they do not carefully manage their blood glucose levels. Some of these risks include kidney failure, increased risks for cardiac diseases and heart attacks, impaired eyesight, and nerve damage. Additionally, the emotional weight of this disease can be unbearable at times. If you have, or know someone with diabetes, support the American Diabetes Association today to help find a cure for this terrible disease. Participate in diabetes walks, ride your bike in the Tour de Cure, make donations, or simply tweet #stopdiabetes to spread awareness in your local community.

Want to save money AND eat healthy? Shop at a farmers market for fresh fruits and vegetables! Farmers markets generally offer lower prices than grocery stores because they make so much produce in bulk! Also, they are usually much fresher and tastier! Another bonus is that you will be supporting your local farmers!! Go to your local farmers market today!

Do you ever find yourself wracking your brain thinking about how many tablespoons are in 8 ounces, or how many cups are in 4 quarts...etc? In times like these, I wish I would paid better attention to my 4th grade math teacher who told me that I would use this information later in life...

Well now you do not have to worry, and can say goodbye to frantically google-searching by the stove for answers! (Sorry, Google)

Simply look at and print out this simple, convenient measuring chart for cooking/baking! Hint: I printed my conversion sheet out and put it on the inside of one of my cabinets so it is always there in the kitchen when I need it.

The NFL has officially completed its first week of the season this year! Football season is such an exciting time to spend with family and friends, but the culture that surrounds football season can be hazardous to your health. In fact, sometimes it seems that football season is more about the junk food than it is about the sport itself! Walk into a bar on game day and find a group of people NOT eating nachos, guzzling down the beers, and splitting dozens of wings.

Case and point: You need to strengthen YOUR DEFENSE this season from contagiously unhealthy habits.

Here is my First-Down Run Down Listof tips to stay healthy during football season:

1. Eat a balanced meal BEFORE the game: By eating before, you will satiate your hunger so that you won't be as tempted to graze on the junk foods offered during the actual game. 2. Drink Water: In between bites, sip on water. Sometimes all it takes is a cleansed mouth to suppress the craving for more food. 3. Take a walking break: 3-4 hours of sitting is a long time for inactivity. At half time, go for a quick 15 minute walk so that you are refreshed for the second half of the game.

4. Sit down snacking: It is very easy to mindlessly "graze" every few minutes on small snacks when watching television. When you want to eat, put the food on a physical plate, and vow to only eat off of that plate for the rest of the game. When you have finished the food on the plate, throw the plate out. Wait at least 45 minutes before you get a new plate. This will decrease the likelihood of grabbing more handfuls of snacks subconsciously throughout the game.

5. Bring healthy dishes: If you are going to a party, bring healthy snacks such as fruit and vegetable platters to that if you are hungry, you will have nutritious options at hand to choose from. (Your friends will appreciate this too).

6. Socialize: By getting involved in conversations with friends, you will naturally be distracted away from the snack table.

7. Watch the drinks: Alcohol has calories too. A short list below shows how quickly calories from alcohol can add up if you are not careful:

* Keep in mind to always drink moderately for your safety. The National Institute of Health and USDA define drinking moderately is no more than two drinks per day for men, and one drink per day for women. Drinking too much alcohol overtime can seriously affect the liver, the heart, the kidney, and other organs in the body.

With these tips in mind, I hope you have a healthy, happy NFL season........and GO EAGLES!! :)

It's finally fall!!!! The perfect time of year for watching football games, curling up in a warm blanket, and probably the most popular, kicking off the official start of baking season! Baked goods are delicious, but can be very high in fat, sugar, salt, and cholesterol.

Here are a few healthy baking substitutions to use this season:

1) To reduce fat, substitute half of the butter or oil that a recipe calls for with the following foods:

Mashed Banana

Fruit Puree of your choice

Applesauce

Fruit Paste

Fruit Juice Concentrate

Greek Yogurt

For example: If a recipe calls for 1/2 cup of oil, use 1/4 cup oil, and 1/4 cup of fruit puree.

4) To reduce sodium in recipes, cut the salt in half or do not add any salt at all (even if the recipe calls for it). If a recipe calls for 1-2 teaspoons of salt, you probably won't taste the difference anyways)

5) To reduce sugar, try substituting half of the sugar that a recipe calls for with unsweetened fruit purees or cinnamon-spiced applesauce. OR try cutting the sugar in half completely- the product probably does not need the full amount!

About Me

I am a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, and a self-proclaimed foodie currently living in Washington D.C. I genuinely want to help people enjoy healthy eating. I hope that through my blog you will learn a bit more about nutrition, share with me in my love-hate relationship for exercise, eat well, and feel good :)﻿